Grade indicator



Dec. 22, 1931. 1 F. CARTER 1,837,609

GRADE INDICATOR Filed Dec. 27, 1929 Z-SheetS-Shet 1 INVENTOR ESL QEFQi/PJZW.

ATTORNEY.

L. F. CARTER GRADE INDICATOR Dec. 22, 1931.

Filed Dec. 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR [Ea/E Fa /222W.

"' ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 22, 1931 LESLIE F. CARTER, or ignolvm, NEWnRsEY, AssIGNon'BY meme Ass mese, r0,

PATENT erms SPERRY rnonuc'rs, Ind, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION,on nnw'YonK seine INDICATOR Application fired December 27, 1929. SerialNo. 416,989.

This invention relates to'me'ans for establishing'a'nd maintaining atruevertical andis particularly adapted for indicating the grade in railwaytracks or other roadways. Since 1-) changes in velocity in the directionof running of a vehicle, such as a railway car, are'of less frequencythan changes .in cross level, I propose to use an-ordinary pendulum inplace of'the gyro orgyro pendulum whic'hhas been found necessary incross level indicating mechanisms. l

Such a pendulum is incapableof actuating a recording pen and for thisreason I propose to employ a novel follow-up mechanism to Y follow theapparent movements of the pendu lum with respect to the vehicle andactuate the pen. The principal features of mynovel followupmechanism'are,first, thatit acts in stantly without lag or delayofanykind, and

"- secondly, that it can supply unlimited power I for Whatever functionsit is to perform.

Ifpropose to suspend an ordinary pendulum for movement in a longitudinalplanein re lation to the direction of travel of the vehicle on which itis mounted, and while changes in acceleration in this direction are notfrequent they will introduce errors into the position of the pendulumand hence into the indication made by the recording pen when such change7:71 in acceleration does occur. For this purpose I provide anacceleration responsive means in addition to the pendulum and cause saidacceleration responsive means to render the follow-up mechanismineffective during the interval that'such acceleration is changing and,therefore; maintain the recording pen unaffected by such change inacceleration.

In another form of my invention I Ina-y combine the ordinary pendulumwith theadvd'itional acceleration responsive means, said is mounted upona lateral axis at right an igles .to the directionof travehsaid pendulumwould ordinarily not 'beafl 'ected by, H

of the craft. If, however, the vehicle comes to rest on a bankedcurve,'or the rate. of travel over such a banked curve 'is lessthan'the'designed speed, it would-cause'a' deflection of the i pendulumfrom its true position owingto the gravity component acting uponthe'ainclined pivotalaxis'of the pendulum and causeanincorrectindication to be given bythe recording mechanism. I may, therefore,provide means responsive to turning in azimuth for preventing actuationof .therecording niechanism while such turning takes place. Means areprovided whereby the said iturn'responsive means controls the actuationof the folandthe turn responsive means .within an on 5 dinary pendulumpivoted for movement in'a longitudinal plane relative to the directionof travel of the-vehicle.

Further objects and advantages'of thisinvention will become apparent inthe following detailed description thereof. In the accompanyingdrawings, I.

- Fig. 1 isfan assembly view, largely diagrammatic, sh'owing'one form ofmy grade or inclination recording device with acceleration and turnresponsive controlling means for the follow-upsystem. x i g a Fig. 2 isa front view of a modified form of pendulum which combines; an fordinarypendulum with the acceleration responsive Fig. 3 is a detailed viewpartly sectioned vertically disclosing the form of brake or lockingmechanism, for maintaining the re.-

cording mechanism fixed in position while i the follow-up mechanism isrendered ineifec-v tive. 1

Fig. a is an enlargedfront view of the follow-up drive. 7

. proportionate degree, .comprisesthe follow-' Fig. 9 is a modified'formof my invention in which both acceleration responsive and turnresponsive mechanisms are mounted in a'pendulous frame to control thefollow-up mechanism. 7

Fig. 10 is a View similar to Fig. 9 but show ing one ofthe mechanismspositioned in the pendulous frame at .a different angle.

Fig. 11 shows stillanother modification of my invention wherein theacceleration responsive means alone is mounted in a pendu lous frame. V

Referring to Fig.1 of the'dr-awings, the principles ofmy inventionare'emhodied in this form. There is disclosed here. an ordinarypendulum-1O pivoted on an axis 11 to swing in the plane of the paper,which is the longitudinal direction of travel of the vehicle upon whichthe device is mounted. The pen dulum bob 12 is supplied with adampingmember13 operating in a viscous fluid 14 for damping the quickoscillations setup inthe device.- 3 The recording mechanism forindicating thechanges in grade or inclination is shown verydiagrammatically as coinprising the pen P operating on a chart Uthroughthe medium ofa linkage 15 pivoted to a member 16 which maybe mountedupon the same axis 11 as the pendulum. The means whereby the pen Pis'actuated in response to the movements'of the. pendulum l0, and tothe-same ing mechanism: The pendhlumlO carries atrolley T which operateswith respect to contact segments 8-8 to control the energization of afollowup mechanism. The trolley T normally rests in engagement. withboth segments SS to maintain both coils 20- -20 of a relay energized sothat the armature 21 thereof is maintained in neutral position out ofengagement with either coil and hence maintains its contacts 2222 out ofengagement with contacts 2323.. When, however, there is inclination ofthe vehicle with movement of the pendulum relative to the vehicle,trolley T engages segment S or SEQ? ment S to maintain one coil 20 or 20energized while deenergizing of the other coil so that armature 21 isrocked about its pivot to cause the proper set of contacts 22 23 or 2223to be engaged and thus energize magnet E or E. The energizationjof oneor the other of magnets E or IE will rock an armature 25 about itspivotagainst tire action of centralizing spring 29 'toinovc' a roller26, carried by motor M, into engagement with one side 27 or the otherside '28 of a circumferentialslot formed in a disc D which is mountedfor rotation about an axis 31. It will be seen from the wiring diagram Ithat motor M operates continuously in one direction and that engagementof roller 28 with edge 27 will rotate disc D in one direction Whileengagement of said roller with edge 28 will rotate the disc 1) in theopposite direction. .The continuously operating motor insures instantresponse of the follow-up mechanism and avoids the time lag which hasheretofore-been present in the case of revers ble motors due to thetimewhich it takes to build up the current and the speed in a reversiblemotor. Since the roller 26 is of small circumference witn respect to thecircumference of slot 30, there is established in effect reductiongearing between the-mo torM and the disc D.

an armB'Y carried bythe member 16 which is connected to the penP It willbeunderstoodthat the wiring is such that the member 16 will be operatedinsu'c'h' direction as tocause the contact segments S-1S to follow themovements of trolley T initilsai d' trolley again rests on bothsegmentsby span"- 7 The saidmlisc carries a pinion 35 on its axis 'ofrotation which mesheswlth asegmental rack 36 formed on ningthe spacebetween them and. thus deen- .ergizes magnet E orfE to permit centraliZing spring 24 to restore the roller 26-toits mid position 'withinslot 30an'dIout-ofengagement with either edge 27 or 28 r The relay 2020 is ofthe delayed-action type in order to avoid operating the follow- 7 upsystem,-and' hence the,recording'mechanism with every slight forward orbackward jerking action of the vehiclewith its momentary disturbinginfluence upcnthe'pendulum'. For this purpose the'armature 21 0 eratesin connection with dash pots lOht' either side ofitspivot." I j vReferring to Fig. 5, -there is disclosed in detail the novel. follow-updrive from motor M to disc '1). It will'be seen that there is a flexibledrive shaft 42 betweenthe motor M and the-roller 261150 permit saidroller to be deflected to one side. or the otherof slot 30.

The edges 2728 ofslo't 30' are'shown as Wedge shaped and the roller ascorrespondingly grooved'for engagement with the driving edges. 7

Iii-Fig. 6 thereisdisclosed a slightly modified form ofdrive betweenmotor M; and disc 'D, the modification comprising the substitution of adifferent type of armature for arma ture 25 of Fig.45which carries'thepulley 26.

In this form the magnets E'E attract an armature 25' which is mounted ona frame lo pivoted at 46, the flexible shaft 42 from motor M to thepulley26 extending through said frame 45. The entire frame including thearmature 25 andthe roller 26 is swung about pivot t6 when magnet E or E"is-energized; 4 a

As fully set forth in the introductory remarks to this specification, itmay be desired to prevent operation of'the recording mecha: nism whenthere is prolonged acceleration or deceleration which would tend tothrow the pendulum 10 in one direction or the other in response to suchacceleration or deceleration and thus introduce an error into thereoordof'inclination or grade. For this purpose I may provide the mechanismdisclosed in Fig. 11 and which comprises essentially a pendulum 5Opivoted about an axis 51 so that the plane of oscillation ofsa'idpendulum would normally be the same asthat of pendulum 10, and withinsaid pendulum frame I mount a gyro 52 in'a case which is pivoted forrotationabout avertical axis 53. centralizing springs '54 normally'maintain said gyro case. sothat the spinning axis 55 of the'gyro islongitudinally of the vehicle,

that is, in the direction of travel. Upon prolonged acceleration ordeceleration the gyro would tend to place itsel'fin the plane of theapplied force, that is, it would tend to rotate until the casing 52 werein the longitudinal plane. Such rotation about axis 53 in response tochange of rate of travel is caused to operate a trolley 56carried by anarm 57 movable with the gyro casing to move said trolley ofi alivesegment 60; This serves to deenergize a magnet 61 ('see' Fig. 8) whichreleases its armature 62 and permits a spring 9 63 to actuate clutchmember 64 into engagement with clutch member 65. Said clutch member 65is mounted upon a shaft 66 carrying a pinion 67 meshing with afsegmentalgear 68' on an arm 69 carried by member 16.

It will thus be seen that when change of rate of travel is present, thegyro '52 tends to precess about axis 53 to carry'trolley 56 out ofengagement with contact segment 60 to deenergize magnet 61and thus lockmember 16 and the recording mechanism in position by means of the brakeor clutch G l-+65.

An inertia disc D may bemounted on shaft 66. The discs I) and D willserve to prevent hunting of the device when t'he pen P is lifted off thechart. r I

Also as hereinbefore explained it maybe desirable to preventactuation ofthe record ing mechanism while turning in azimuth takes place, becauseif such turn occurs at a time when the vehicle is tiltedQa movement willbe imparted to the pendulumlO which will cause the follow-up mechanismtoactuatethe recording mechanism and thus record an incorrect indicationof gradeor inclination. I,-therefore, providemeans whereby the saidbrake or locking mechanism herein- 7 before described may be controllednotonly by the acceleration responsive gyro 52 but also by a turnresponsive gyro 70 (see Figs. 1 and 11), by having the circuit throughthe vehicle.

magnet 61 extend not only "through contacts -56 60 but also throughapairlof contacts 71 72 normally in contactbut adapted tobeopeneddur-ingturningcof the craft. For

opening said contacts 71+72 when turning in,

azimuth occurs I may cause the yrof70, which is mounted upon ahorizontal axis 7 5, to rotate about said axis to tend toplace its axis7 6 in line with the axis of turning of be seen that since the circuitthrough mags net (illiesthrough contacts 56' 6O and 71? 72, breaking ofeither set of contactswill cause the brake or lock to be rendered effective to hold the recording niechanism figainst actuatlon.

B yreferring to Fig.2, it will be'seen I haveidisclosed a modified formof my lin mention in which the pendulum 10 has been This will cause anarm '77 'carreplaced by a pendulumim' which cafrriesthe accelerationresponsive gyro 52 mounted therein. The'acti'on is exactly thelsame asbefore except that the pendulum" will 'be more strongly stabilizedagainstdisplacement. If desired, a separate turn responsive gyro 70 maybexemployed disconnected from the pendulum. i i

In the Fig. .9 modification0f the Figs. 1 and 11 form, I may mountiboththe .turn' rer sponsive gyro -70 and the acceleration responsl ve gyro"52'within a.singleframe ad pendulously' mountedat 5'1. I Said frame :50will, of course, bestabilized against .displacement, any tendencytodisplace thesame being counteracted by the precessional movements ofthegyros. about their axes. V j a In Fig. IO-there is disclosed. a'slightmodification of the Fig. 9 form of the invention wherein the turnresponsive gyro '70 -is position'ed at right angles .tothat shown inFig.9-. This positioning is found to be more readily responsive to banln'ngof thefvehicle which always accompanies turning..

In the various forms of theinventionhereinbefore described, frequent useis made of centralizing springs between the gyroscopes andtheir frames.It is undesirable, how- U ever, to apply substantial torques to thegyros through the centralizing'springs, and I may,

therefore, utilize the trolley and contact segments circuit-controller.for applying the' necessar centralizin' effort to the ros.

For this purpose the contact segments may be formed in an arc ofsomewhat greater curvature (as shown in -full lines at, in Fig. 8) thanthe arc of a true circle (as shown in dotted lines at 91) described bythe trolley.

This results in a Wedging action as thejtrolley moves outwardly onthesegments, and there is thuszcreated the necessary force for returningthetrolley to centralized position.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I haveherein'described the principle and operation of my invention, togetherwith the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodimentthere,- of, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shownis only illustrative and that the invention canbe carried out byothermeans. Also, while it is designedto use the various features andelements in the combination and relations described, some. of these 4may be altered. andothers omittedwithout interfering with the'moregeneral-results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

Having described my invention, what I" claim and. desire to secureby'Letter's P tentis: I

1. In a grade or inclination indicator 7 adapted tobe mounted on avehicle, a pendulum, a recording mechanism and'follow-up mechanism forfollowing the movements of said pendulum relative .to said vehicle,saidf follow-upmechanism including a continuouslyj operating motor, andmeans whereby said motor is'connected to said recording ,mechanism uponrelative movement between said lvehicle and said pendulum.-

* ,2. In a grade or inclination indicator adaptedto be mounted on avehicle, a pendulum, arecording mechanism and follow-up 'mechanism forfollowing the movements of 'Sfild pendulum relative to saldvehicle,sald' followeup mechanism including a continu: ously operating motor, arotatable member operatively connectedv to said. recording mechanism andhaving a circumferential slot therein, and means for connecting saidmotor to one side or the-other of said slot.

'3. In a I grade or: inclination indicator.

means controlled by the direction of relativemovement between saidpendulum and sand vehicle for engaging sa1d gear with one side or theother of said slot.'

4. In" a grade oryinclination indicator adapted to be mounted onavehicle, a pendulum, a recording mechanism and follow-up mechanism forfollowing the movements of said pendulumrelative to said vehicle, saidfollow-up mechanism including a continu-- ously operating motor, arotatable member operatively'connected to said recording mechanism andhaving a circumferential slot therein, a gear-flexibly connected to saidmotor,

and means controlled by the direction of relative movement between saidpendulum and said vehicle for engaging said gear with one sideor theother .of said slot. I

5. In I a grade or inclination indicator adapted to be mounted on avehicle, a pendulum, a recording mechanism and follow-up mechanism forfollowingthe movementsof said pendulum relative to said vehicle, saidfollow-up mechanism including a continuously operatingmotor, a rotatablemember operatively connected to said recording mechanism and having acircumferential slot therein, a gear flexibly connected to. said mo;tor, an oscillatable support .forsaid; gear, means normally.central-izing said support to maintain-said gearfout of contact withthe sides ofsaid slot,-and meanscontrolledbythe l direction ofrelativemovement betweensaid pendulum and said; vehicle foroscillatmgsaid support to cause said gear toengage one side. or the other ofsaidslot. a

6. Ina grade or inclination indicator 7 adapted-to be. mounted onavehicle, a pendulum, a recording mechanism and follow-up mechanism forfollowing thermovements of said pendulum relativeto said vehicle, saidfollow-upimechanism including a continuously operating motor, a"rotatable member operatively connected to said recordmg mech anism andhaving a circumferential slot therein, a gear flexiblyconnected to saidmotor, and means controlled by the direction of relative movementbetween. said pendulum and said vehicle for engagingsaid gear with.one'side or the other ofsaid slot, said lasta named means comprising.cooperating electric contacts between said trolley and veliicle, aplurality of ,electro-magnetic. means selectively controlled by saidcontacts, and a pivoted armature supporting said gear and cooperatingwith said electro-magneticmeans. I

7. In a grade or inclination. indicator adapted to be mounted on avehicle, a pendu lum,a recording mechanism and follow-up mechanism forfollowing the movements of said penduluinrelative to said vehicle, saidfollow-up mechanism including a continuously operating motor,a-rot-atable member operatively connected to said recordingmechanism and1 having a circumferential slot therein,'a gear flexiblyconnectedto'said mos tor, and means controlled by the direction'of relativemovement between said pendulum and said vehicle for engaging said gea'rwith one side ortheother of said slot, said last-na'n' ed meanscomprising cooperating electric con tacts between said'trolley and saidvehicle, a pluralityof electro-magnetic means, means includinga delayedaction relay whereby said contacts'sele'ctively control saidelectro-magnetic means, and a pivoted armature'supporting said gear andcooperating with said electro-magnetic means. 7 a

,1 slot.

8. In/a "grade or inclination indicator adapted to be mounted on avehicle, a pendulum, a recording mechanism and follow-up mechanism forfollowingthe movements of said pendulum relative to said vehicle, saidfollow-up mechanism including a continuously operating motor, arotatable member tro-magnetic means, a pivoted armature supporting saidgear and cooperatingwith said electro-magnetic means, and means normallycentralizing said armature for ,maintaining said gear out of contactwith the side of. said 9. In a grade or inclination indicator adapted tobe mounted on a vehicle, a pendulum, a recording mechanism, meansresponsive to relative movement between the pen- A dulum and the vehiclefor actuating said -re cording mechanism, and means responsive toacceleration forces in the plane of oscillation of said pendulum forlocking said recording means against actuation.

10. In a grade or inclination indicator adapted to be mounted onavehicle, a pendulum, a recording mechanism, means responsive torelative movement between the pendulum and the vehicle for actuatingsaid recording mechanism, means for locking said mechanism againstactuation, a gyroscope mounted to precess in response to accelerationforces in the plane of osclllatlon of said pen- I dulum, and meanswhereby the precession oi said gyroscope renders said locking meanseliective.

11. In a grade or inclination indicator adapted to be mounted on avehicle, a pendulum, a recording mechanism, means responsive to relativemovement between the pendulum and the vehicle for actuating said recording mechanism, means for locking said mechanism against actuation, apendulous frame mounted for oscillation in a plane a parallel to saidsimple'pendulum, a gyroscope mounted insaid trame for precession inresponse to said oscillations, and means whereby the precession of saidgyroscope renders said locking means effective. V

12. In a grade or inclination indicator adapted to be mounted on avehicle, a pendulum, a recording mechanism, means responsive to relativemovement between the pendulum and thevehicle for actuating saidrecording mechanism, means for locking said mechanism against actuation,a gyroscope mountedfto 'precess response to turniiigloi. thevehicle inazimuth, and means'wlfereby' the precession of g roscope renderssaid;lockingineanseffective. f" 13. grad" or inclination indicator adapted totempered on a" vehicle, a pendiie lum,-a recording mechanism,"meansresposive'to relativemovement baweeaaiepeae lum and the vehicle .foractuating said re V cording m chanism, means forlockin'g said, mechanismagainst aewation', a g'yro'se ipt mounted to process in responseaaccelera -i" tion fprces in the plane dest nation breadpendulumfa'second gyr seopemoanted'td precess 'in res'p'onse to" turningijo'f thevehicle in azimuth, and means whereby the pieces? sion or client:both'of said gy'oscopesre derssaidlockingmeans effective 14, In a gradeor' inclination indicator adapted to 'be mounted at attains, a pendu'lum, a, recording mechanism, means aspen;

sive 'to'relative-inovemnt between the penduadapted to be mounted on avehicle, a pendulum, a recordingmechanism, means responsive to relatlvemovement between the pendu lum and the vehicle for actuating saidrecording mechanism, means for locking said;

mechanism against actuation, a gyroscope mounted in said pendulum toprecess in response to acceleration-forces in the plane of oscillationof said pendulum, and means whereby the precession of said gyroscoperenders said locking means effective. I

16. In a device of the class described, a self-centralizingelectriccontact system compr sing a trolley rotatable in the arc of acircle, cooperating spaced contact segments on whlch said trolley operates, saidsegments forming a curve of lesser radius than the arcdescribedby said trolley and internally 129 tangent to said are at a pointoccupied by said space'between the contacts;

17. Aspeed responsivedevice adapted to be mounted on a vehicle andcomprising a pendulous framemountedfor movement in the 1515 plane oftravel of the vehicle and a gyroscope mounted in said frame forprecession in response to the action of acceleration forces 1n the l1neof movement-of said vehicle.

18. A combined speed and turn responsive "F i devicefadapted to bemounted on vehicle and comprising a pendulousframemounted for: movementin the plane of travel of the vehicle, gyroscopic meansmounted so as tobg reSpOnSlVe to. turning of the vehicle in" azimuth, and a gyroscopemounted in said J frame for precession in response to the action ofacceleration forces in the line of movement of said vehicle.

19. A combined speed and turn responsive device adapted to be mountedone vehicle "1 vehicle, a gyroscope mounted in said frame so as toberesponsiveto turning of the-vehide in azimuth, and a gyroscope mountedin and comprising a pendnlous frame mounted for movement in the plane oftravel of the said frame for precession in response to the action ofacceleration forces in the line of 1 movement of said vehicle.

testimony whereof I jhave afiixedjmy signature. I Z

I a LESLIE F. CARTER. V

